A/N: Thank you to JESUSFREAK, gloomy maiko lover, SoullessReaper, and Puggles Master for reviewing. :)

Prompt #45: Over

Characters: Hakoda and Katara, mentions of Katara/Aang

The sound of talk and laughter resonated throughout one of the rooms near Hakoda's in the hold of his ship as it sliced through the ocean, heading south. Heading home, for the first time in three years.

Hakoda wondered how much the South Pole would have changed. He had already seen so many changes since he had left in himself, in his kids, in the world--he knew it would be different, but he was just glad to be going home.

It might be a homecoming, but for some of those on board, it was a diplomatic journey. Firelord Zuko and his companion, the young Mai, were on board as representatives of the Fire Nation's desire for peace. Aang was coming as affirmation of that peace--and, Hakoda would have been blind not to notice, for Katara. Even Toph had been convinced to come along, though Hakoda had heard her protesting in the beginning, saying if they dragged her to somewhere covered in ice and snow she would not only be freezing and have to wear shoes, but she wouldn't be able to see.

To complete the group of young people who had fought so hard and ultimately saved the world, Suki was there, too, but Hakoda hadn't been at all surprised by that. Nor had he really been that surprised when Sokka mentioned he wasn't sure how long he would be staying at the South Pole. He had known that his son wasn't going to be letting Suki out of his sight anytime soon.

Hakoda was content to listen to their laughter and know that they could enjoy themselves even with all the responsibilities being dropped on their shoulders. They deserved that, after everything they had been through. He hoped they would have a lifetime of peace to make up for the pain they had all suffered, but he knew that even though the war was finally over, there would be a lot more work in the years to come.

A knock sounded on the door to his cabin. "Come in."

The door cracked open and Katara peered inside. "Hi, Dad. I know it's late, but I wondered if we could talk for a while."

"Of course we can." Hakoda motioned her to come in, and she did, closing the door behind her and sliding down onto one of the cushions in his room.

Katara smiled at him, and he was struck for the millionth time how much she had grown up, and how much she looked like her mother. He saw Kya in both of his children, but the older Katara got, the more she looked just like her.

"What's on your mind?" Hakoda moved to sit on a cushion across from her, folding his hands and leaning forward.

Katara fiddled with her necklace, but didn't answer. Her silence stretched on, her face scrunched in uncertainty as though she didn't know where to begin.

"Is this about Aang?" Hakoda asked. He knew very well that the Avatar wouldn't be staying in the South Pole for long. He would be needed in negotiations and settlements for peacekeeping in the time to come. He also would have been blind not to notice what was going on between the Avatar and his daughter. It hadn't even been two days since he had seen Katara and Aang kissing up on deck. It had been a sight that had frozen his heart in his chest, yet another thing to show that his little girl wasn't so little anymore.

Hakoda hadn't even had the satisfaction of confronting Aang and giving him a talk about his daughter, because Aang had come to him not long after and very frankly told Hakoda exactly his intentions with Katara. Hakoda already respected Aang as the Avatar and he found that he also respected the boy who had looked him straight in the eye and told him that he loved his daughter and would never intentionally hurt her, and that he had known for a long time that he wanted to be by her side forever.

But Katara was still his baby girl, and a part of him said that his baby girl shouldn't have been giving anyone such an adult kiss.

Katara was fifteen now. Kya had been fifteen when Hakoda had begun to court her.

No, Hakoda thought as he looked at Katara. None of them are children anymore. They've all done as much--and more--than a lot of adults. "Are you going to tell me that you won't be staying in the South Pole for very long, either?" he asked her.

Katara's cheeks tinged pink. "Well…now that you mention it…" She sighed and looked down at her lap. "That's not what I came to talk about. Can we talk about that later?"

"Of course. If you didn't come to talk about Aang, what did you come for?"

"I don't really know where to start."

"The beginning is usually a pretty handy place."

That didn't even get a smile out of her. Instead, she drew a deep breath and met Hakoda's eyes. "I know Sokka hasn't told you about it because he was waiting for me to do it. It happened after we split up at the Western Air Temple and Zuko told me he could find the man who killed Mom."

Hakoda went rigid with shock. Out of all the things he had expected Katara to tell him, this hadn't even entered his mind. He listened with pain, sympathy, and an old, deep anger as Katara told him everything that had happened when she tracked down the man who had taken Kya away.

Katara wiped her eyes with the back of her hand when she finished. "I…I just wanted you to know."

Hakoda leaned forward and drew Katara into his arms. "I am so proud of you," he said, his own voice a little hoarse. "So proud."

Katara's hands clutched the back of his shirt tightly. "Did you know?" she whispered. She drew back a little and looked up at him, tears sliding silently down her cheeks. "Did you know that the Southern Raiders came because of me?"

"I had my suspicions."

"You never said anything."

Hakoda rested a hand on her cheek. "It wasn't your fault that your mother died, Katara."

Katara bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. It was a long moment before she spoke. "I tell myself that. I'm not sure I always believe it."

The fist around Hakoda's heart squeezed tighter. "Believe it," he replied firmly. "I miss her, too, Katara. Part of me always will. But you didn't kill her. And I will never regret that you were born a Waterbender. You've used your abilities to help bring peace to the world, and you should be as proud of that as I am."

Katara's arms tightened around him. "Thank you." She finally pulled back, scrubbing her tears off her face.

They sat in silence until Hakoda cleared his throat. "So now we can talk about your boyfriend?"

The blush crept back across Katara's face. "What about him?" she asked carefully.

"First of all, you're not getting married until you're at least sixteen. Or maybe until Aang is sixteen; we'll sail that ship when we come to it."

The pink on her cheeks darkened into something closer to red. "Dad--"

"And I don't care how much traveling you do with him. No sharing the same tent until you're married."

"Dad!"

"And when it comes to grandchildren--"

"Dad, stop!" Katara pressed her hands to her face. "You're worse than Sokka!"

"I'm your father. I'm supposed to be."

Katara lowered her hands. She was blushing furiously now, and glared at the little smirk on Hakoda's face. They gazed at each other, and then she abruptly threw her arms around him again and said, "Thanks, Dad."

He hugged her tightly and smoothed a hand over her hair. "You're welcome. I'm more than happy to tease you anytime."

"That's not what I meant," Katara grumbled, but she grinned up at him anyway.